


It's Not Over

by Kelticmoon



Series: Fixit Series compliant fics [7]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: FIghting over a mate, Galra Keith (Voltron), Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Protective Keith (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro is a damsel in distress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-05 22:49:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17333870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelticmoon/pseuds/Kelticmoon
Summary: A ghost who still haunts Shiro's nightmares from his time as a gladiator is hunting him.  Keith is having none of it.((Takes place during my season 8 fixit fic))





	It's Not Over

**Author's Note:**

> Got the idea for this while listening to It’s Not Over by Daughtry. Kinda inspired by the Bambi vs Ronno fight over Faline from Bambi.

“Where’s Shiro?”

Everyone present looks around at Keith’s question.

The Paladins, Shiro, Krolia, and Kolivan had landed at a Galra outpost to gather Intel on what was left of the crumbling Empire. Large bodies of liquid acid cover the planet the way water covers Earth. It was everywhere; in lakes, rivers, streams, oceans; all made up of liquid acid. The air was somehow breathable however so they have their helmets open at the bottom.

One minute they’re gathering Intel, the next they’re ambushed by an army of sentries lead by a large, bulky Galra roughly the same size and build as Kolivan (if not a little bigger) with similar ears and red and purple markings.

A fight ensues.

By the time it ends, all of the sentries are on the ground.

However, the Galra is nowhere to be seen.

That was when Keith noticed Shiro was also missing.

"Anyone have any idea _**why** _Shiro froze in terror the moment he had laid eyes on the Galra?" Hunk asks.

“I know who he is,” Kolivan tells them. “He is known as The Handler. He was in charge of the gladiators who fought in the arenas.”

“Explains why Shiro is scared shitless of him,” Lance says.

“Uh, guys!”

Pidge points out something in the distance.

Keith follows her gaze and can make out The Handler chasing Shiro up the side of a mountain.

“Is it just me, or is the look he’s giving Shiro really creepy! It’s not just me, right?!” Hunk points out.

“It isn’t,” Pidge assures him with a shudder. “It almost looks… predatory.”

Krolia and Kolivan both freeze.

“That is the look of a Galra in heat…” Krolia says tensely.

“A what now?!” Lance asks.

“Basically he wants to mate with Shiro,” Pidge tells them sounding no less disturbed.

“What?!”

Keith glares at where The Handler is chasing Shiro.

“Why?!” Hunk asks.

“I… had heard rumors…” Kolivan began. “It was said that The Handler had a… penchant… for the prisoners…”

A growl rises from deep in Keith’s chest as he reads between the lines.

A protective and unyielding rage like nothing Keith’s ever felt before courses through his veins.

“Over my dead body!!”

Krolia catches his wrist as Keith takes a step forward. When Keith looks back at her, she gives him a knowing smile and hands him their knife.

“Take this. You will need it.”

Without hesitation, Keith takes the knife and runs after them.

The others try to follow but Kolivan and Krolia stop them.

“We will wait here for them,” Kolivan states firmly.

The others all back down, but Pidge remains in front of Kolivan.

“What the hell?! Shiro needs our help!” Pidge snarls up at him looking ready to fight through him if necessary.

Kolivan doesn’t flinch but he raises an approving eyebrow at Pidge.

“I like you.”

“You don’t want to get in the middle of that fight…” Krolia explains calmly from beside him. “This won’t be an ordinary fight. It’s a Galra Right-to-Mate fight.”

All four Paladins blink up at her.

“Wut?”

~

On the mountain trail, Shiro’s legs start to burn as he runs from one of the few Galra who still haunt his nightmares to this day.

He runs across a clearing until he slides to a halt at the edge of a cliff overlooking a mountain lake of acid.

He looks to the left and sees more cliff, he looks to the right and sees rocks and boulders near a large rock wall that goes straight up to the peak of the mountain and around the clearing in a half circle.

He’s trapped.

He whirls around in fear when he hears The Handler catching up to him.

“The Champion! So good to see you again, my pet,” The Handler states in a tone that still sends a shiver of repulsion down Shiro’s spine.

Shiro opens his mouth to speak, but The Handler cuts him off.

“Don’t waste your breath denying you’re the same person. You may look different, but I know my favorite pet.”

Shiro moves closer to the rock wall.

“Just leave me alone!”

“Oh, how I’ve missed you, my pet.”

The hungry stare The Handler gives him sends another shutter of repulsion through him.

Trembling, Shiro takes up a fighting stance.

The Handler backs Shiro into a corner when they hear someone running up the path toward them. The Handler turns and Shiro looks to see Keith charging into the clearing.

The Handler smirks and squares his shoulders before charging toward Keith, easily throwing Keith over his shoulder when they meet.

Keith hits the ground with a grunt before rolling onto his feet and sliding, coming to a stop between Shiro and The Handler.

“Keith!”

Keith growls deep in his chest as he pulls out his knife and awakens it.

“You’re not going to lay another finger on him. Not while I breathe.”

The Handler laughs.

“Ah! So a new challenger appears for mating rights!”

He pulls out his own sword.

“It has been a while since I’ve fought over a mate. Let’s see how long you last.”

The Handler lunges at Keith.

“Shiro, take cover!” Keith tells him before meeting The Handler in the middle, Luxite clashing with Galra tempered steel.

Shiro ducks into a space between a nearby boulder and the wall and crouches down.

They exchange a few blows before Keith gets thrown to the ground. The Handler moves to drive his sword through Keith’s head. Keith rolls away just in time and brings his sword up to parry The Handler’s back swing.

Shiro watches from his spot as they exchange blows; their fight moving around the clearing.

While Keith is a skilled fighter, The Handler is not only twice the size of Keith but also has years of experience on his side. Keith holds up fairly well, but he’s still getting thrown around and slammed into the ground a lot; so much, his helmet gets knocked off.

Just when it looks like Keith is starting to get the upper hand, The Handler swipes his sword across Keith’s face, the tip of it catching Keith’s left cheek.

“KEITH!”

Keith staggers backward against a boulder as he clutches his left cheek.

Keith pulls his hand away and there’s blood on his hand.

“You are a fool to think you stand a chance against me. As if I would ever lose to a pathetic half-breed!”

Keith glares up at him as The Handler continues to taunt him, blood running down his left cheek.

Keith feels like there’s fire in his veins as he grips his sword.  He attacks The Handler, who blocks with his own sword before throwing Keith to the ground once more.

“This your first Right-to-Mate fight, Whelp? I remember my first. Can’t say I blame you. My pet is quite the specimen; is he not? I very much enjoyed having him.”

Keith feels his blood boil as he tightens the grip on his sword as he remembers all the night terrors Shiro has TO THIS DAY, remembers the nights Keith had to hold Shiro down to keep him from hurting himself when he awakens and tries to run from his nightmares, remembers Shiro begging and pleading for someone to stop hurting him, the long nights of holding Shiro as he sobs his heart out in Keith’s arms.

Shiro fucking DIED, and the fact that Shiro is STILL scared shitless of this asshole speaks volumes.

Shiro slides backward on the ground until his back hits the wall behind him as he watches Keith attack The Handler with a ferocity Shiro’s only ever seen twice before. When he catches a glimpse of Keith’s face, he’s not at all surprised to see Keith’s eyes are yellow with slits and when Keith bares his teeth his canines have grown into fangs.

He has “gone Galra” as Lance calls it.

Keith feels a spike of adrenaline as his senses suddenly become sharper and he gets stronger with faster reflexes.

The fight becomes more brutal and intense as Keith meets The Handler blow for blow, matched in every way but resolve.

Keith grits his teeth as their swords lock together hilt to hilt. The Handler kicks him backward then and his blade flies out of his hand, too far for him to reach.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be taking what’s mine.”

The Handler walks toward where Shiro sits against the rock wall but before he can get close, Keith lunges forward and grabs him around the waist.  He wrestling The Handler to the ground, causing his sword to slide out of his hand across the ground and off the cliff into the lake of acid below.

They roll around on the ground for a while before The Handler manages to throw Keith off of him.

Keith quickly takes up a boxing stance, bobbing and weaving to avoid The Handler’s blows before the two start to grapple.

Keith gets the upper hand and manages to slam The Handler to the ground twice.

“Yes! Get him, Keith!” 

When Keith slams The Handler to the ground a fourth time, the large Galra sweeps Keith’s legs out from under him. Keith lands with a thud but quickly rolls back onto his feet.

When the Handler moves to grapple Keith again, Keith grabs The Handler’s arms and turns so that Keith’s back is facing the cliff while throwing The Handler across the ground.

The Handler rolls across the ground before pulling a knife and tackling Keith.

He hears Shiro shout a warning.

“Keith! The Cliff!”

Keith lands with his head just shy of the cliff and The Handler on top of him, trying to shove the knife through Keith’s throat. Keith struggles as he uses his bayard to block The Handler who is bearing his full weight down on the knife, trying to overpower Keith.

The Handler growls in Keith's face.

“I will have what is mine, Half-breed! You hear me? I’ll not lose my pet to a half-bred whelp! He’s mine!”

Keith’s rage burns even hotter in his veins.

This is the Galra that Keith swore he’d kill if they ever met. This is the Galra who hurt Shiro so deeply that he still has nightmares.

Keith can’t fail.

He won’t fail.

With a yell and all the strength he can muster, Keith moves his legs between them and kicks The Handler over his shoulder and off the cliff behind him. Keith quickly rolls over and stands, glaring down at The Handler who is hanging by one hand off the cliff.

The Handler looks up and sees the coldest pair of eyes he’s ever seen.

“You will _**NEVER**_ hurt him again!”

Keith drives the blade of his bayard into the ground just in front of The Handler’s hand, causing it to break off and send the Galra into the acid below.

Keith turns his back to the cliff and walks to Shiro who meets him halfway.

Keith stops in front of Shiro and puts his hands on either side of Shiro’s face to press their foreheads together.

“He will never hurt you again."

Shiro places his own hands over Keith’s and looks into Keith’s eyes without fear.

“I know.” 

Keith’s legs give out then and Shiro catches him.

“Easy…”

Shiro lowers them both to the ground.

“I’ve got you.”

Keith begins to breathe heavily as the adrenaline starts to wear off.

Keith closes his eyes and leans against Shiro as the older man kisses Keith's hair.

“I’m alright. You saved me again.”

Then Shiro remembers Keith’s cheek.

“What about you?”

He turns Keith’s face so he can get a better look at the younger man's cheek.

“’m fine… just a scratch...”

“It’s dripping down your armor,” Shiro points out unamused.

“’m fine… really…” Keith insists, though the way his eyes struggle to stay open says otherwise.

Shiro presses their foreheads together once more

“Keith, you take such good care of me…”

Shiro presses a kiss into Keith’s forehead.

"Please let me take care of you.”

Keith’s shoulders slump against Shiro then, his right cheek pressing against Shiro’s chest.

“Adrenaline crash says ok…”

Shiro chuckles and hugs Keith close as he grabs a small first aid kit and a water packet out of his belt pouch.

In no time, Shiro has Keith’s cheek rinsed off with water and dressed with gauze.

“That should keep it from getting infected before we can get back to the Atlas,” Shiro tells him as he puts the first aid kit away.

“Can we stay like this for a few more doboshes? I’m starting to bounce back.”

“Ok.”

Shiro wraps Keith in his arms and holds him.

For a long time, they sit and hold each other before heading back.


End file.
